Friday, February 15, 2008

Making Lotion Bars

I made lavender lotion bars tonight. I thought I'd share the process through pictures. I love to make these bars. I went through many batches before I got the right combination of beeswax, shea butter, and oils so they'd look and feel like I wanted them to.

First things first - gather all the supplies. A scale is a must for weighing everything, pyrex measuring cup, beeswax, shea butter, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil, Vitamin E, and lavender essential oil.

I always start by weighing the beeswax and shea butter.

Then I put the beeswax and shea butter in the microwave and melt at 1 minute intervals. While that is melting I weigh the oils. It usually takes about 3 minutes for the wax and butter to completely melt.

When the beeswax and shea butter are all melted I add the oils. This helps to cool the wax and shea down a little so they are not too hot to add the essential oil and pour in the molds. The temps need to be a little cooler so the properties and scent of the essential oils don't burn off.

After the beeswax, shea butter, and oils are combined it's time to add the lavender essential oil.

When the essential oil is mixed in it's time to pour in the molds. I use a Milky Way soap mold for my large lotion bars. I just got a smaller mold with the cutest bee on it - these bars will be in my Etsy shop soon. They'll be the perfect size for carrying in your purse and will come in smaller tins.

The bars will sit overnight to harden and in the morning I'll pop them out of the mold and put in tins!

How fun to see step by step how you make the lotion bars. I love that!! Do you have a good source to buy soap molds? I usually have just cut bars when I have made soap, but think at some point in the future I would like to mold some. I love your new banner! I am so uncoordinated when it comes to making changes or adding anything to my blog. When I try I always screw it up royal so I just leave it alone now. I would love to add links to my friend's blogs and havn't figured even that out yet!!